MONROVIA April 14 (LINA) -More than 3,400 youths under the Liberian Youth Employment Program (LYEP) of the Ministry of Youths and Sports Monday staged a

sit-in action on the grounds of the Ministry in Paynesville, outside Monrovia.

The youths barricaded the entrance to the ministry, preventing officials and employees of the Ministry of Youth and Sports from entering the compound of the ministry.

According to the spokesman of the group, Socrates Wleh, they were taking the action to compel authorities of the Youth and Sports Ministry to pay the three months allowance owed them.

He explained that since they were employed and deployed in the 27 cities of the 15 political sub-divisions of Liberia, they are yet to receive a dime from the Ministry.

Mr. Wleh also said after working for 21 days, each of them should have received US$84.00 as stipend, but that this has not been the case.

He said the youths, most of whom are high school and college graduates, are disappointed in the delay to pay them because they desire to continue their education which, according to him, was their main purpose of accepting the job.

Meanwhile, acting Youth and Sports Minister Jacqueline Capehart has confirmed the ministry’s indebtedness to the youths, but attributed this to a shortfall in the national budget for 2013/2014.

Speaking in an interview with the Liberia News Agency Monday, Ms. Capehart assured that modalities were being worked out to resolve the problem.

The Deputy Youth ad Sports Minister emphasized that the youths’ claims were legitimate, but urged them to exercise tolerance in handling the situation.

LINA RS/TSS/PTK